Tongs



I June 7, 1932.. ALTICE 1,862,326

TONGS Filed July 27, 1928 A TTORNEY Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE F. ALTICE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO IBENDIX BRAKE GOM- PANY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS TONGS Application filed July 27,

This invention relates to a-tool usedin connection with automotive vehicle brakes and more particularly those of the internally expanding type.

In brakes of this character a plurality of shoes constituting a retarding medium are usually held in retracted or inoperative position within the brake drum by means of quite powerful tension springs connected to the same. The present invention has to do with means characterized by novel tongs for aiding the operator in both application and removal of the springs referred to As illustrated the tool is preferably provided at its curved.or' hooked ends with the novel spring applying and removing construction including a sharpened jaw adapted for anchoring engagement with the brake lining and a notched and recessed jaw adapted to engage the end of the spring and co-operate with the web of the brake shoe.

So far described the tool is adapted to facilitate installation and removal of the conventional tension spring retracting two juxtaposed shoes ofstandard design being particularly adapted for the removal of the springs connecting the primary and auxiliary shoes in a servo three shoe combination. A; further and important feature of the tool relates to its compound function, in that it may be constructed to facilitate ap-- plication and removal of the auxiliary return spring employed to retain retracted the secondary shoe of the standard self-energizing three shoe brake combination. In this construction the auxiliary spring is usually anchored to a pin-fixed to the backing plate and is connected at its remaining end to the web of the secondary shoe; My novel spring hook may be prmided at the end of each of its handle arms with a notched recess form ing a seat adapted to fit over and fulcrum on the end of the anchoring pin when used as an aid in applying the spring and further provided with a notch in its end adapted for engagement with the spring and in the operation of removing the auxiliary spring.

It will be-obvious, however, that my novel spring hook is not necessarily limited to the application and removal of the auxiliary 1928. Serial No. 295,722.

shoe spring in a servo combination but may be utilized to remove any return sprin of the usual design which is pivoted to a xed anchor post of relatively small diameter.

'The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel combinations of structure and desirable particular constructions, will be apparent from the following description of an illustrated embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of my novel socalled spring hook;

Figures 2 and 3 are detail side and end views of a spring engaging portion of one of the jaws;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the sharpened lining engaging portion of the other jaw;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a conventional return spring;

Figure 6 is a detail view in perspective of the end of one of the arms of the handle disclosing a construction adapted for cooperation with the auxiliary spring; and

Figures 7vand 8 are views, more or less diagrammatic, indicating my novel tool in operation when applying the main and auxiliary springs respectively of a self-energiz-- ing brake. I

The arrangement selected for illustration in Figure 7, disclosing a self-energizing brake, comprises a drum 10 which is rotatably mounted to turn with the road wheel of a vehicle. Within the drum and mounted on a backing plate 11 are arranged a reverse or auxiliary s 0e 12, a primary or servo shoe l4 and a secondary shoe 16, the three con-.

stituting a conventional self energizing three shoe combination of the internal expanding type of brake forming, however, no part of my invention. The auxiliary and servo shoes are identical and therefore interchangeable and are held in an inoperative retracted position by a powerful tension spring 18 booked at each end into an opening 20 in the web portion of each shoe.

The. intermediate or secondary shoe 16 may be held in a retracted position by a return spring 22 having a curved or hooked end portion preferably engaging an annular low recess 23 in an anchoring pin 24 secured to the backing plate 11.

My novel spring applying and removing tool may comprise, as best illustrated in Figure 1, lever arms 26 and 27 preferably sub stantially circular in cross section, suitably shaped at their pivotal fulcruming point 28 in any well known manner, and thence curved in circular fashion to form jaws 26 and 27' respectively, which jaws are preferably substantially rectangular in section.

As clearly indicated in Figures 2 and 3, jaw 26, designed to engage one end of the spring 18, is preferably recessed immediately adjacent its end at 30, the recess substantially defining in outline a parallelopiped. In other words, the spring receiving recess may extend diagonally of the prong, through approximately one-half its thickness, and may also be'slightly flared outward at its ends 31 and 32 as disclosed. The extreme end of the jaw 26 adjacent the recess is preferably notched at 34 to accommodate the hooked end of the spring, the outer and inner faces of the rectangular sectioned jaw being tapered at 35 and 36 to meet at said notched end. As disclosed in Figure 1, jaw 27 is preferably tapered at its end to define a sharpened point 47 for engagement with the friction lining, which function is more completely vdescribed hereafter.

The tool may further be constructed to facilitate application and removal of a supplemental tension spring such as spring 22 disclosed in Figures 7 and 8. For this purpose one, or preferably both, of the arms 26 and 27 may be cut away at each end to provide a plane face 38 merging into a cup por tion 39 on the inner side of the arm facing the remaining handle arm. The end of each arm is preferably rounded at 40 and notched at 42, said notch preferably merging with the cup portion 39. If desired, one of the arms of the handle may be used alone, that is, as a straight bar lever structure, the curved jaw being omitted. I

As disclosed in Figure '7, the spring 18, or any similar spring connecting two webbed shoes, may be removed as follows: sharpened end 37 is first anchored into the brake lining at point 11 substantially in line with the spring; the straight portion 42 of the spring is next slipped within recess 30; and as a last step the jaws are contracted, the end of jaw 26 sliding up on to web 43, hooked end 44; of the spring slipping into notch 34, continued contraction, with slight manipulating twist, forcing end 44 from hole 20in the web. The operation of application is quite obvious, being the reverse of the operation just described.

Application of a pin anchored supplemental spring such as disclosed in Figure 8 maybe e ected as follows: the tool is grasped by operator as clearly disclosed in the figure;

hook 46 of spring is slipped over one arm of reeasae the tool; cup end 39 is next seated on pin 24; and lastly the tool, acting as a lever, is lifted fulcruming about the pin 24, the spring sliding down the arm and over the head of the pin into its proper seat 23 in end of the same. Removal of the spring may be effected byengaging the end of the spring at the pin within notch 42, then prying the hooked end off the pin, using the head of the same as a fulcrum point with the tool acting as a lever.

In the construction described, the flared ends 31 and 32 of recess 30, tapered ends 35 arms 26 and 27 and the rounded nosed end $0 of each arm are features which contribute to the smoothness and efficiency of operation, the rounded corners reducing friction between the parts.

A simple, efficient and cheaply manufactured tool is thus provided, facilitating quick and sure application and removal of the tension springs otherwise quite diflicult of installation because of the very appreciable resistance to expansion.

\Vhile one illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment or otherwise than by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tool comprising crossed arms pivoted together to form handles and curved jaws, one of the jaws being shaped to provide a pointed end, the other jaw being notched at its extremity to provide a hook-engaging means and being provided with a recess spaced from the end of the jaw and extending through the aw from the inner to the outer surface thereof in alignment with the'force exerted by the jaws when the tool is manipulated.

2. A tool comprising pivoted arms forming handles and curved jaws, one of the jaws being notched at its end to provide a hook-engaging means and being provided with a groove spaced by a substantial distance from the end of the jaw and extending through the jaw from the inner to the outer surface thereof in alignment with the force exerted by the jaws when the tool is manipulated to permit a hooked member passed through the groove and engaged by the notch to be putunder tension by the jaw without being subj ected to bending stresses.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. 

